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Jake Brown is looking forward to representing his country, while also showing off his athletic skills.

A basketball standout from Wallenpaupack and Middlebury College, he has the unique chance to play for a team of all-stars that will be part of the 2014 Can-Am Challenge College Basketball Tour in Canada.

“I am really excited,” Brown said. “There are only a few Division III guys on the team, so it’s going to be awesome to play with guys who are at different levels of college.

“I couldn’t ask for anything more, having the chance to play basketball and to be playing for the United States.”

Joining Brown on the Blue East team will be BJ Andrews of Clarion University, Matthew Banas of Bucknell University, Reggie Charles of Holy Family University, Aaron Johnson of Clarion University, Seamus Radtke of Chestnut Hill University, Christian Roberts of Stevenson University, Cole Renninger of Lehigh University, Tyler Sayre of College of St. Rose, and Ian Vescovi of University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.

Delaware Valley coach Kris Holtzer will lead the team of standouts that will play in Montreal, Quebec and Ottawa, Ontario through July 20.

The schedule includes games at the Montreal M3 Basketball Tournament in Montreal, Quebec on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The team will play a goodwill game in Montreal on Tuesday before heading to Ottawa, Ontario on Wednesday to compete in the 11th annual Basketball Weekend in the Capital Tournament from July 18-20.

“I am just thrilled for this great opportunity,” said Holtzer, a former Times-Tribune Player of the Year who played at Lock Haven University and has experience playing on a regional team that faced opponents from Sweden, Israel, Czech Republic, and Puerto Rico.

“There is going to be a lot of fun things that we are going to do with this team. You look up and down the roster and these are all-conference players. And they are going to get after it, because there will be pro scouts at these games.”

The public is welcome to attend the open training camp at Delaware Valley High School today from 3 to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8 to 9:30 a.m.

“I am happy that we are having this at Delaware Valley because it gives me a chance to bring this team in and have my team and other local players to see how hard these guys work,” Holtzer said.

For Brown, it is an opportunity of a lifetime.

In high school, the 5-foot-10 point guard was a prolific scorer who made a name for himself with lightning quickness and ball-handling skills.

He proved to be a multi-talented weapon for the Buckhorns who could break down a defense with his dribble and sharp passes, but also torch opponents by averaging better than 23 points per game as a senior (2012-13).

At Middlebury College in Vermont he saw a lot of playing time in his freshman season. Brown played in 24 games, while getting eight starts. He averaged 4.1 points per game and handed out 3.0 assists with 25 steals for a team that finished 17-9.

“The biggest thing I learned in my first year is that you have to work hard all the time,” Brown said. “You can never be satisfied. You have to always work to prove that you are a good player.

“I know that I have to fight for my spot. I started working a lot harder this offseason, just doing what I can do to help my team win and for me to get better as a player.”

After having some of his best games against Delaware Valley in the Lackawanna League Division II, Holtzer targeted Brown and extended him an invitation.

“We have built a good relationship,” Holtzer said. “He is a smart player. I know that he will be one of the quickest guys out there.

“Plus, this will be a good chance for him to play at a very high level and develop his skills as a true point guard.”

Playing in a setting against all-star teams in another country is something Brown is cherishing as he gets ready for his sophomore year at Middlebury.

“This is going to be a challenge, I have to be ready to get out there and play hard,” Brown said. “I am looking forward to competing and showcasing my abilities, but also to play with talented players and against talented players. Hopefully, we can come together as a team quickly and get some wins.

“It’s really going to be an exciting time.”

Contact the writer:

jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com @JobyFawcett26 on Twitter

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